The
Director, Global Destinations & Experiences is responsible for defining the long-term vision, strategy, and evolution of Virtuoso's global Destination and Experiences portfolio. This role ensures the development of a high-quality, differentiated network of partners that delivers meaningful value to advisors and their clients worldwide. This position requires a strategic, data-driven leader with deep industry expertise, strong cross-functional influence, and the ability to translate insight into scalable, enterprise-level action.
Operating as the global Destinations & Experiences Subject Matter Expert (SME) within Virtuoso, this position functions as a strategic advisor and internal architect rather than a traditional partner owner. The role informs account strategy, shapes product and program design, and aligns Destination and Experiences - related initiatives for Tour Operators, Wholesalers and Onsites, across Membership, Product, Marketing, and Account Management to drive cohesive, ecosystem-wide impact.
The Director plays a critical role in ensuring Virtuoso's Destinations and Experiences portfolio remains differentiated, high-quality, and aligned with the evolving needs of advisors, travelers, and partners-ultimately maximizing value and return on investment across the network.
Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
- Global Portfolio Strategy & Direction
- Define and evolve a multi-year global strategy for Virtuoso's Destinations and Experiences portfolio, aligned with company priorities, regional market dynamics, and evolving traveler and advisor expectations.
- Establish a clear strategic framework governing Destination and Experiences programs, partner engagement models, and contractual structures across global regions.
- Own the long-term direction of the Destination and Experiences portfolio, identifying growth opportunities, portfolio gaps, and strategic risks to maintain relevance and competitive advantage.
- Ensure consistent quality, governance, and standards across the global Destination & Experiences network while allowing for regional flexibility where appropriate.
- Partner with Business Intelligence and senior vertical leaders to anticipate market opportunities and build a high-quality, strategically aligned Destination and Experiences partner pipeline.
- Lead and guide advisor-led Destination and Experiences Committee forums, translating stakeholder input into clear, strategic portfolio decisions.
- Ensure consistent quality standards and governance across the global Destination and Experiences partner network, with appropriate regional flexibility.
- Partner Value Proposition & ROI
- Define and steward a clear, differentiated partner value proposition that delivers measurable return on investment and supports long-term partnership sustainability.
- Oversee the development of partner strategies and account plans that connect partner investment to meaningful business outcomes.
- Guide the evolution of partner benefits, programs, and engagement models to remain relevant as advisor behavior, traveler preferences, and market conditions change.
- Lead strategic partner procurement, including identification, evaluation, and selection of Destination and Experiences partners.
- Shape the overall composition of the Destination and Experiences portfolio to optimize network value and differentiation.
- Data-Driven Strategic Decision Making
- Leverage performance data, market insights, and trend analysis to inform strategic direction and portfolio decisions.
- Translate complex data into clear, actionable insights and recommendations for senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Establish success metrics and strategic KPIs that measure progress against long-term objectives, not solely short-term revenue.
- Cross-Functional & Regional Alignment
- Act as a strategic connector across Partnerships, Regions, Product, Marketing, Events, Finance, and Operations to ensure strategy is clearly understood and consistently executed.
- Collaborate closely with regional leadership to ensure global strategy reflects local market realities while maintaining a unified vision and standards.
- Provide strategic input and forward-looking perspective to enterprise planning cycles, leadership forums, and advisory committees.
- Serve as a Subject Matter Expert to Account Directors and Account Managers, supporting complex partner scenarios and negotiations, account planning and investment strategies, portfolio positioning and opportunity development.
- Serve as a Subject Matter Expert toMembership to inform advisor engagement strategies, support development of category-specific training and selling tools.
- Collaborate with Product to define requirements for Destination and Experiences -related platforms, programs, and services to develop strategies tailored to geographic markets, advisor segments and agency models, traveler psychographics and preferences.
- Work with Marketing and Events to ensure accurate, differentiated category positioning and align messaging and programming with strategic priorities.
- Future-Facing Growth & Innovation
- Monitor industry trends, competitive dynamics, and emerging partnership models to proactively shape the company's strategic roadmap.
- Identify opportunities for new partnership structures and engagement models that drive incremental value, differentiation, and growth.
- Champion continuous improvement and strategic evolution across partner programs and portfolio design.
- Leadership & Influence
- Provide strategic leadership and mentorship to senior leaders responsible for partner execution, without direct ownership of day-to-day operations.
- Influence outcomes through clarity of vision, executive communication, and cross-functional collaboration.
- Represent Virtuoso's strategic direction internally and, when appropriate, with senior partner stakeholders externally.
Educational and Skills Requirements:- Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field required
- 10+ years of Experiences in travel, hospitality, or adjacent industries, with demonstrated success in strategy, portfolio management, or senior-level partner leadership
- Proven ability to develop and execute long-term strategies in complex, matrixed, global organizations
- Strong commercial acumen paired with the ability to think beyond revenue to ecosystem value
- Exceptional communication, synthesis, and executive-level presentation skills
- Deep understanding of partner evaluation, RFP/RFI processes, and governance frameworks
- Strong analytical capability with Destinations and Experiences translating data into executive-level decisions
- Proven ability to influence across teams and geographies; people leadership experience preferred
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills
- Proficiency in MS Office, SharePoint, and CRM/application systems
Travel Requirements:- Travel required, including domestic and international, to support partner engagement and industry representation.
Type/Nature of Contacts:- Internal: Key job contacts are primarily with director level staff and above outside of the job's immediate work unit/department.
- External: Daily contact with Virtuoso global executives at properties.
